Little Green Sprouts: A Nutritional Powerhouse

He used to be synonymous with bagged frozen vegetables, but “the Little Green Sprout” has come a long way!

Sprouts are literally early growth from sprouted seeds, fledgling plants. Sprouts are incredibly nutritionally dense and provide a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One cup of sprouts provides 119% of the daily, recommended intake for vitamin C. They are also rich in B vitamins and protein and contain good levels of dietary fibre.

When we eat sprouts, really we are eating a plant or vegetable, which is more alkalizing for the body. Furthermore, once you sprout a seed, the enzyme inhibitors from that seed will be neutralized making it much easier for digestion and absorption of important nutrients. A published research article (John Hopkins University, Sept 1997 medical sciences) states that broccoli sprouts have as much as 50 times the sulforaphane content than the mature vegetable – that’s a whack of antioxidants. You would have to eat about 3 pounds of regular broccoli to match that! Sulforaphane acts as a long lasting antioxidant that detoxifies free radicals in the body. These sprouts are potent inducers of Phase 2 detox enzymes in the liver (they induce glutathione levels). This makes consuming them a powerful strategy for achieving protection against cancer.

Below is a nutritional guide for some of the most popular sprouts. Some are nutty, some sweet and some quite sharp. I have my favourites and with a little experimentation you will find yours. Overall they are a tasty, crunchy addition to sandwiches, smoothies, salads and even an omelet or pizza topping.

Sandy Cardy, CPA, CA, CFP

As a leading authority on tax and estate planning, for many years Sandy helped individuals grow their net worth. But after her own battle with cancer and subsequent full recovery, she immersed herself in researching how to protect your health, as well as your wealth. Today, she shares her practical and inspiring knowledge of how to build a lasting legacy, in all senses of the word.